The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past
The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past is a 1991 action-adventure developed by Nintendo for the Super Nintendo, a return to the top-down perspective after the side-scrolling second game. Players guide the hero Link across the kingdom of Hyrule to rescue Princess Zelda and the descendants of the Seven Sages, and to stop the wizard Agahnim and the return of Ganon.
Its central innovation was the ability to travel between a Light World and a parallel, corrupted Dark World, with changes made in one realm affecting the other, creating intricate exploration and puzzle-solving across the two overlapping maps. A wealth of items such as the hookshot, Pegasus boots, and the Master Sword, plus twelve dungeons and countless secrets, refined the Zelda formula that later entries would build upon for decades.
A Link to the Past is regarded as one of the greatest games ever made and a template for action-adventure design. It has been re-released on many Nintendo platforms and remains widely accessible.
Play it today
Modern alternatives to The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, with the devices they run on and their price. Ordered editorially by how well each one stands in for the original, with community votes weighted in as they accumulate.
Prices, platform availability and Steam Deck compatibility can change at any time. Always check the store page before buying.
Hyper Light Drifter Indie
€ 14,99Top-down action with a wordless world to decode, clearly raised on A Link to the Past.
Hyper Light Drifter runs on PC, Mac, Linux, PlayStation, Xbox, Switch. Not available on iPhone, iPad, Android phone, Android tablet. It is Steam Deck Verified.
CrossCode Indie
€ 19,99An indie action-RPG with 16-bit visuals and deep top-down dungeon puzzles.
CrossCode runs on PC, Mac, Linux, PlayStation, Xbox, Switch. Not available on iPhone, iPad, Android phone, Android tablet. It is Steam Deck Playable.
Ittle Dew 2+ Indie
€ 19,50Overworld exploration and proper item-gated dungeons, with puzzles that respect your intelligence.
Ittle Dew 2+ runs on PC, Mac, Linux, PlayStation, Xbox, Switch. Not available on iPhone, iPad, Android phone, Android tablet. It is Steam Deck Playable.
Blossom Tales: The Sleeping King Indie
€ 14,99An indie homage built directly on the A Link to the Past formula.
Blossom Tales: The Sleeping King runs on PC, Mac, Linux, Switch. Not available on iPhone, iPad, Android phone, Android tablet, PlayStation, Xbox. It is Steam Deck Verified.
The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening
€ 59,99A charming 2019 remake that carries the classic top-down Zelda design forward.
The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening runs on Switch. Not available on PC, Mac, Linux, iPhone, iPad, Android phone, Android tablet, PlayStation, Xbox, Steam Deck.
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